Oldest Boeing 747 KLM Royal Dutch Airlines To Be Retired

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has completed its last commercial flight with the oldest Boeing 747–400 in its fleet. The aircraft has last been used to operate a scheduled flight between Willemstad and Amsterdam.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines ramping up phase out Boeing 747

Whereas Air France phased out its entire 747 fleet by 2016, KLM still has 21 Boeing 747–400s in the fleet of which 3 are freighter aircraft. The airline already retired 4 jumbo jet aircraft, so the phase out of the PH-BFA is not the start of a process. The PH-BFA (named City of Atlanta), however, was the first Boeing 747–400 delivered to KLM and the first to an European airline and served for 27 years.

Another Boeing 747–400 is expected to be removed from service in November, followed by 5 in 2017. By 2018 the 747 fleet should be about half the size it has now. The phase out fits the company’s fleet renewal program, which is key to bringing operation costs and passenger comfort to standard.

The Boeing 777 and the Boeing 787–9 are the replacement aircraft of the Boeing 747–400 in the KLM fleet.

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